Swanson School Honors Kim LaScola Needy as Distinguished Alumna in Industrial Engineering
Above: Kim LaScola Needy (center) with Interim Department Chair Lisa Maillart (left) and Interim U.S. Steel Dean Sanjeev Shroff.
The University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering feted its 2024 class of Distinguished Alumni on Wednesday, April 10 at the University Club. Recognized among this year's honorees was Kim LaScola Needy BSIE ‘84 MSIE ‘87 as the Distinguished Alumna in Industrial Engineering.
“In industrial engineering and engineering education far and wide, Dr. Kim Needy is well known and highly regarded, especially here at her alma mater,” said Lisa Maillart, Interim Department Chair of Industrial Engineering. “Kim is a Pittsburgh homer, having grown up in the South Hills earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Pitt before earning her PhD at Wichita State University. Today, she is Professor of Industrial Engineering holding the Irma F. and Raymond F. Giffels Endowed Chair in Engineering, and Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas. She is also a valued mentor and role model for women engineers throughout academia.”
About Kim LaScola Needy
Dr. Kim LaScola Needy is a Professor of Industrial Engineering holding the Irma F. and Raymond F. Giffels Endowed Chair in Engineering, and since 2020 serves as the Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, growing up in Castle Shannon and graduating from Keystone Oaks High School. Dean Needy received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, and her PhD in Industrial Engineering from Wichita State University. She previously held an academic appointment at the University of Pittsburgh (1993-2008) and served as the Industrial Engineering Department Head (2008-2014) and Dean of the Graduate School and International Education (2014-2020) at the University of Arkansas. Prior to her academic appointments, she gained industrial experience while working at PPG Industries and The Boeing Company.
Dean Needy has co-authored over 150 papers and is a co-author of Fundamentals of Engineering Economic Analysis, Second Edition published in 2020. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Department of Education, and Construction Industry Institute. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in Kansas.
She is a Fellow and Past President of both the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers (IISE) and the American Society for Engineering Management, and a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education. Dean Needy received the IISE 2019 Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator Award, recognizing educators who contributed significantly to the profession through teaching, research and publication, extension, innovation, or administration; and received the IISE 2019 Wellington Award recognizing outstanding long-term contributions and service in the field of engineering economy.
Dean Needy received the University of Arkansas Chancellor’s Commission on Women’s 2021-2022 Extraordinary Woman Faculty Award in recognition for leading by example, being a role model and being an inspiration for others seeking gender equality and women’s empowerment. In 2023, she was selected as Top 100 Women of Impact in Arkansas to honor women impacting Arkansas today, making it a better state for future generations. She was selected as Ones to Watch in 2023 for Celebrate Arkansas Magazine. She serves on the Board of the United Way of Northwest Arkansas and resides in Fayetteville, Arkansas with her husband Bill and two adult children, James, and Thomas.